Fairhaven in Bristol County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)

Fort Phoenix

By Dale K. Benington, July 30, 2015

1. Fort Phoenix Marker

Inscription. The fortress structures of Fort Phoenix remaining today are the parapet, built before the Civil War, and the gunpowder magazine, completed in 1865. The Civil War era officer's quarters and barracks were destroyed by fire in 1918.

The shape and dimensions of the parapet are irregular, following the contours of the promontory, or high rock outcrop overlooking the harbor, on which it is built. The exterior walls of the parapet are constructed of bricks with a cement covering. The walls are topped with a single row of tapered granite slabs. The interior walls are constructed of smooth granite blocks. The space between the walls are filled with soil borrow material.

The five large cannons are 24-pound guns, made of cast iron and dated 1828, and were mounted here in about 1861. The small naval cannon is the only gun dating to the Revolutionary War. It was brought here in 1777 from a supply of weapons captured from the British in the Bahamas. The cannons are ceremonially fired during the Town's annual Independence Day celebrations.

In 1926, Fort Phoenix was acquired from the United States Government by the Town of Fairhaven through the generosity of Cara Broughton, daughter of Henry Huttleston Rogers. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The Town of Fairhaven Board of Public Works

By Dale K. Benington, July 30, 2015

2. Fort Phoenix Marker

Close-up view, that is displayed on the marker, of an illustration showing the locations of the fortress structures of Fort Phoenix.A. Parapet
B. Powder Magazine
C. Location of Officers' Quarters
D. Location of Barracks

and the Fairhaven Historical Commission now maintain it.

Location. 41° 37.456′ N, 70° 54.131′ W. Marker is in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, in Bristol County. Marker is on Fort Street west of Beacon Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. This marker is located near the water front, on a small rock outcropping, in the middle of the fort's gun emplacements, a short distance from the harbor walkway that goes out on the harbor hurricane break, in the Fort Phoenix State Reservation Park. Marker is in this post office area: Fairhaven MA 02719, United States of America.

Close-up view, that is displayed on the marker, of an illustration showing what the mounted 24-pound guns look like.

By Dale K. Benington, July 30, 2015

4. Fort Phoenix Marker

Close-up view, that is displayed on the marker, of a photograph showing the fort's one Revolutionary War era cannon.

By Dale K. Benington, July 30, 2015

5. Fort Phoenix Marker

View of the marker with the fort's gun emplacements in the immediate background.

By Dale K. Benington, July 30, 2015

6. Fort Phoenix Marker

A more distant view of the marker with the fort's flag pole in the foreground and the fort's gun emplacements in the immediate background.

By Dale K. Benington, July 30, 2015

7. Fort Phoenix Marker

A distant view of the marker situated in the enclosure of the fort's parapet.

By Dale K. Benington, July 30, 2015

8. Fort Phoenix Marker

A distant view of the marker situated on the grounds of the fort.

By Dale K. Benington, July 30, 2015

9. Fort Phoenix

A distant view of Fort Phoenix and the fort's gun emplacements.

By Dale K. Benington, July 30, 2015

10. In Memory of Henry H. Rogers Plaque

View of the nearby plaque that acknowledges the text on the featured marker that states: "Fort Phoenix was acquired from the United States Government by the Town of Fairhaven through the generosity of Cara Broughton, daughter of Henry Huttleston Rogers."

By Dale K. Benington, July 30, 2015

11. In Memory of Henry H. Rogers Plaque

A distant view of "the gift" plaque, that is referred to in the featured marker, located at 41.37.461N x 070.54.101W.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on September 3, 2015, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. This page has been viewed 235 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. submitted on September 3, 2015, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio.